Hold On
by Dee47
Summary: Booth is unjustly imprisoned and away from his family. Can Angela convince him to hold on? Takes place after the season 9 finale. One-shot.


**I wrote this awhile back and wanted to do more with it, but it never got beyond this one conversation. I've always loved the scenes between the two people who love Bones the most and hate we don't get more of that on the show. So instead of just letting sit there on my computer, thought I would just go ahead and share what I had. Hope you enjoy.**

 **~Dee**

The loud buzzer that seemed to be right above her head began to go off, indicating another door was opening allowing a prisoner through to see someone waiting anxiously on the other side. The thick metal door swung open slowly to reveal a young boy that looked like he couldn't have been more than 18 years old. It was plain to see the fear that painted his young features, but as he lifted his head, there was a suddenly a look of hope. She turned her gaze to the woman sitting to her left who was alternating between twisting the wet tissue in her hand and using that same tissue to dab at the wet tears streaming down her face. As the young man sat down in front of her, those tears began to flow faster. Feeling a lump in her throat, she quickly turned to her right to watch a man in an obviously expensive suit and tie, scrolling through his phone with one hand as he lifted the other to take another look at the Rolex on his arm. It was such a contrast of emotion and she felt like she was going to jump out of her own skin. She tried to take a deep breath to calm the butterflies taking flight in her stomach but that only caused her anxiety to elevate. She had visited prisons before under a myriad of circumstances, but none quite like this. But this one did have one thing in common with all the other times. She didn't want to be here now either. Knowing the person you were waiting to walk through that door was not supposed to be here made her want to scream at the injustice of the so called justice system.

The buzzer suddenly sounded again causing her to jump, knocking her purse to the floor. Leaning forward, she was anxious to catch sight of the man she was waiting for, but the man she saw coming toward her wasn't the same man. Dark circles were present under eyes that were pinched in obvious pain. His shoulders were slumped in a way she had never seen in all the years she had known him. And though she could not see his feet, it was not difficult to tell they were sliding across the floor with little energy, most likely chained together to restrict movement. His hands were bound together in front of him and his right arm was tucked closely to his side, most likely in an attempt to relieve the pain that he must have felt with every slow step. She knew the moment he saw her because the disappointment was evident on his face. Quickly he tried to hide that disappointment behind a forced smile, but in all the years she had known him, he had never been good at hiding his true feelings.

Sitting down with a soft grunt, he picked up the phone on his side. She smiled at him as he nodded his head toward the phone on the wall beside her urging her to do the same. When she did, she was startled by the weak voice that greeted her.

"Hey Angela."

"Booth," she whispered with a loud sigh. "You look terrible."

He chuckled at her bluntness, coughing when he felt the pull of the still healing gunshot wounds. Angela had always been one to be completely honest with those she cared about and after being locked away for the past three weeks away from everything and everyone he knew, he found it comforting to hear someone finally being honest with him.

"I've had better days," he started, trying to clear his throat without pain shooting down his body. "Everything's okay, right? I mean I thought I would have seen Bones already today, but she hasn't shown up. She's okay, isn't she?"

Now there was the Booth she knew and loved. Locked up in prison for something he didn't do, recovering from multiple gunshot wounds and still worried about the woman he loved. "Yes, she's okay. She was at the lab when I left about an hour ago working on y…," she suddenly paused aware there were most likely listening ears around. "She's working on a new case, but she said to tell you that she was planning to stop by later today. She and Hodgins found something interesting in their analysis and they think it may be exactly what we need to solve the case."

"Really?" his eyebrows shot up in a moment of hope. "As much as I want that to happen for her, I need you to keep an eye on her. You know her Angela and she'll work herself into the ground if someone isn't there to remind her she's not superwoman."

"This case is very important to her," Angela responded pointedly. "She is putting in a lot of hours to figure this thing out, but I promise you that she is taking care of herself for you and for Christine. Max is really stepping up to help out with Christine so that has helped Brennan have more time to do what she does best."

"And I appreciate all of that, but I need her to be safe and to be healthy," his voice cracked as he blinked back the sudden moisture in his eyes. "I'll never make it through this if she's not okay."

"She'll be much better when you are home and she is under your watchful eye again," she smiled. "You know speaking of remaining healthy, how are you? Brennan was furious when she found out they released you from the prison hospital after only a week. Are you healing like you should be? You should still be on antibiotics too to reduce the possibility of infection."

"You sound like Bones," he sighed with a wince. "I'm okay. Sore, but okay."

"I'm sorry, Booth," she whispered as tears welled up in her eyes. "I should have been here before now but you were in the hospital and then they wouldn't let anyone but Caroline and Brennan was going crazy waiting for them to let her in here to see you and I assumed they would limit your visitors and I wanted her to have as much time with you as possible. And I just…I was so mad that this was happening and I didn't know what to say to you. I want to be able to fix this for you, for Brennan, for Christine, but I just…I don't know what to do, Booth." Her anger had been building the more she thought of all that had transpired to lead them to this moment and she hastily wiped away the tears that had slipped down her face as she continued to rant. "None of this makes any sense. You are the most honorable man I know and you've made sacrifice after sacrifice for this country and yet the people you trusted turned their backs on you and put you here."

"Angela," he said abruptly, holding up his hand to stop her. "I appreciate what you're saying, but you have to stop."

Suddenly realizing she was dangerously close to saying too much, she shuttered a breath before turning her rant into a whisper. "I'm sorry. I just hate what this is doing to you and Brennan and that you're even here at all when you did nothing wrong. You don't deserve this."

"If you want to do something for me, then just please take care of Bones," his eyes pleaded. "I don't know when I'm going to get out of here and I need someone to keep an eye on her and make sure she's okay. And if I don't make it…"

"Stop!" Angela demanded. "You stop right there Seeley Booth. None of us are going to rest until you are out of here. My best friend deserves her happily ever after and I'm damn sure not going to let anyone take that away from her. We aren't giving up and don't think for one minute that I'm going let you give up either. Do you understand me?"

Booth looked at the fire in her eyes and it reminded him so much of Bones. No wonder those two were like sisters. "I'll do my best."

"Good," she smiled. "Now I need to get back to that lovely wife of yours and see if she needs my help. You take care of yourself and just hang in there. You'll be back home with Brennan and Christine soon, I promise."

That thought put a lump in his throat so he didn't dare try to speak. Nodding his head at her, he gripped the phone a bit tighter watching her hang up the one on her end and stand to leave. The door had barely closed behind her when he felt the tight grip on his arm pulling him out of his chair. Dropping the phone onto its cradle with a thud, he shuffled to his feet as he was led away back to his current home with dreams of the one he still longed for. Soon, he promised himself. One day soon he will be with his family again. He just had to hold on a little while longer.


End file.
